[Havok, Piasu, Ryomania, 11:35 AM, May 7th, Tuesday 2025]
The two of us replied at the same time, the man grinned, his gold tooth glinting in the sunlight.
Amir Alexander: "Alright, fine, I'll play some jazz, something nice and in-between, how's that for ya?"
The man turned on the radio, shifting to a classical music station named 'R-1'.
I sighed and once again turned to look out of the window, cigarette ashes in hand, thinking about what I'd seen.
"If we were to get attacked, we'd be fine. No, I can't think about that, I have to relax. I have to throw this away somewhere." I thought to myself, glancing down at the cigarette in my palm.
I then leaned back in the seat, the car continued driving into Havok.
Jack Daniels: "Mhm, I like this song, buh buh buh bah bah!"
Jack scatted along with the radio, his leg began tapping in rhythm with the song, his head bobbing from side to side.
James Karawei: "Can you be more quiet? I'm trying to think... Something doesn't feel right here."
I glanced over at Jack and then at Amir, he seemed to be bending down, trying to get something from the floorboard of the car.
The car continued driving, we had arrived in the main district of Havok.
I lifted my gaze toward the city's centerpiece—the towering black structure gleaming under the sun. Bulletproof aluminum alloy windows reflected the harsh light, and a giant white 'A' symbol loomed, casting its shadow over the city.
An Ariston Industries Center.
James Karawei: "Hey Jack? Why do these guys need bullet-proof windows anyway?"
I gestured to the outside, and then I turned to Jack, he was still tapping his foot rhythmically, still bobbing his head from side to side.
James Karawei: "Hey, Jack—"
I saw it, for a split second, a look in his right eye that looked like panic. My hand shot out, shaking his shoulder.
James Karawei: "Jack! Can you hear me?"
I then looked up to see Amir glancing over the driver seat at us, a gun in hand, grinning.
Amir Alexander: "Why don' ya leave him alone, kiddo? He's jazzing!"
I fell backwards before he could shoot, kicking up at his hand with my foot, a rose quickly forming in my right hand.
James Karawei: "Let go! Damn you—"
He grabbed me by my leg, shot again, I dodged to the right of the backseat, falling in-between the passenger seat and the backseat.
The car swerved, hurling Jack against the left car-door.
Amir Alexander: "Fine, suit yourself kiddo, but I've gotta take care of both of ya. You're pretty dangerous~"
He pointed the gun at Jack, I raised my hand quickly, a bubble shooting out of the rose in my palm, knocking the gun away.
James Karawei: "I knew it! I knew something was wrong!"
I reached out grabbing the gun, but then I felt something pressing against my head.
Amir Alexander: "Oh, you's thought I didn't get prepared? I know how dangerous ya are~"
I glanced up, seeing the barrel of a shotgun pointed at me, I took a deep breath and headbutted the gun, making the stock hit his chin, he shot upwards.
Amir Alexander: "Ouff! Why you little—"
I pointed the gun at him.
James Karawei: "You're done. Drop the gun, just take us to our destination. This doesn't have to end badly..."
My hands trembled as I pointed the gun at him, he grinned at put the shotgun down.
Amir Alexander: "Alright, I see... Not bad kiddo, I was just joking about the whole ending you thing. I was testing you out, to see if you're... good."
The man chuckled and pulled out what looked like a business card from the upper pocket of his jacket, he held it out to me.
James Karawei: "What? Good? I don't... trust that, what's your plan here, huh?! Why would you threaten two kids for... No reason?!"
Amir Alexander: "Calm down... I just wanted to see what you were made of. I'm a double agent, working for Iris. I've been with these guys for a while, trying to get any leads into The Syndicate since nobody has any idea where the hell they could be! We barely know anything about them, so, I've been sent to snoop. Don't tell anyone about this though."
I lowered the gun ever-so-slightly and grabbed the business card, it was yellow, having a taxi-cab on it, three separate phone numbers and a strange symbol at the bottom. The back of the card read "Taxmatria" in bold silver lettering.
James Karawei: "What? What's Taxmatria? This... This is stupid."
Amir chuckled, gesturing behind him.
Amir Alexander: "Yeah? Tell that to my driving skills, I've been driving without looking for like ten minutes now."
He turned back to face the front, swerving narrowly around a bus, getting a honk from the driver.
Amir Alexander: "I'll turn off my Uptown Funk, you're fine! I like ya kiddos. Ya seem tough. So, if ya ever need a ride, call those numbers."
He turned off the radio. Jack almost immediately stopped tapping his foot.
Jack Daniels: "Huh?! What the heck was that about old guy? You were going to put a hole in my ponytails!"
Jack peered over the driver seat at Amir, seemingly unphased.
Amir Alexander: "Meh, you've been through it before, I can tell. Kiddo back e're has the rose's ability, he's the one I was tracking before you murdered him."
James Karawei: "Wait, Uptown Funk? That's what you were doing to Jack?"
Amir Alexander: "I'll give you the short version, if you move to the rhythm, you're stuck like that!"
Jack looked back at me, snatching the gun from my hand and throwing it over the passenger seat.
James Karawei: "Jack! What are you doing?!"
Jack Daniels: "You won't need it, we're strong as is. We know his ability now! It's rhythm based nonsense! Plus, he said he was only testing us."
He chuckled and fist-pumped the air.
James Karawei: "Okay, whatever. Hold on... Wait, you've been following Mr. Nakamura?"
Amir glanced up into the rearview mirror at us.
Amir Alexander: "For about a year, a lot of people got... decommissioned, tracking him and such. We've learned a bit more about The Syndicate, like their ranks and whatnot, but we haven't figured out where their main base of operations is."
Jack Daniels: "Ah.. So you're double crossing Iris, I see... You're a terrorist with a kind-heart! Awesome!"
Amir Alexander: "I ain't a terrorist kid, I'm a taxi-driver, there's a difference."
James Karawei: "Clearly... Look, we really don't care, we appreciate the 'testing' or whatever that was, but we'd just like to get to—"
Jack Daniels: "Hamloins! Mhm, fresh ham, no scam!"
I sighed and rubbed my forehead. The wooden mask pressing into my face.
Amir Alexander: "Yeah, yeah, and remember what I said, if you need a cab, just call. We're the good guys."
James Karawei: "Doubt it."
I muttered under my breath and looked up to see Jack shaking the driver seat, bouncing back and forth excitedly, I smiled and handed him the card.
James Karawei: "You're always energetic, aren't you?"
Jack Daniels: "Yup! Ooh... I like yellow, this is a nice card. Thanks!"
He tucked it into his pocket and continued bouncing back and forth.
Amir Alexander: "Leave the car seat alone kid, you're giving the whole thing a massage!"
I looked down at my left hand, the cigarette and the ashes were now scattered across the floorboard of the car.
The rose retreated back into my palm.
It's like I was getting used to the chaos.
James Karawei: "But even that's a lie..."
I muttered as I looked out of the window again, the Ariston Industries Center caught my eye.
Jack leaned over suddenly, blowing air into my left ear, making me bump my head against the window.
James Karawei: "AH! W-what was that for?!"
Jack laughed and patted my shoulder.
Jack Daniels: "We're fine... Calm down dude, look Mr. Amir gave me some gum!"
Amir grinned in the rearview mirror, as Jack chewed the gum loudly.
James Karawei: "If you die, that's on you."
Jack Daniels: "Ouch, harsh aren't you bro? What's up, c'mon, tell me."
He nudged me insistently.
James Karawei: "I'm just wondering about Ariston Industries... It's the main front of The Syndicate."
Amir Alexander: "You've gotta be shittin' me!"
He glanced back, smirking.
Amir Alexander: "I knew there was something to them! Good job kiddo, you're making my job easier! Haha."
Jack Daniels: "Yeah, right... They have these buildings set up pretty much everywhere. They act like call centers, complaint departments, places to store their trash which they call Agents"
Jack paused leaning back against the back seat, pulling the gum from his mouth and sticking it to the underside of the seat.
James Karawei: "Jack! That's gross..."
Jack Daniels: "Well sorry, I'm not just going to swallow it, they stick to your stomach dude. Anyway, I'd heard stories of it from Cathy when we were younger. But hey, I don't know much more than the public does... And Cathy doesn't even know that much either, so yeah."
James Karawei: "Yeah indeed..."
The city made me nostalgic, even though I'd never been inside the city before.
Other than school I wasn't allowed to wander about. It was a family rule.
As the car continued driving down the streets, a police car whizzed by, sirens blaring.
People walked past, glued to their phones, lost in their own worlds. It was all strangely peaceful to me. Even after everything that happened.
I knew the news had spread about what we did, that much was obvious.
People were talking about "The Oakland Incident," but nobody knew the real cause.
No reliable witnesses, other than us, and we were on the run.
Those who saw the destruction were either in the hospital or couldn't make out the faces of the culprits—us.
Or they died.
Either way it made me feel guilty.
A lot of lives were lost. But it wasn't like we could walk into a police station and confess. That would just create more problems than it would solve.
"Wouldn't it? Could I seriously just... give up?" I thought to myself, feeling a headache buzz in my head.
Maybe a life behind bars would've been better than where I am right now. Maybe everyone would be safe.